Joel Weber - Piano Technician
Joel Weber studied Piano Performance at the University of Nebraska before entering the field of piano tuning in 1998. After 5 intense years of training and visiting piano factories internationally, he officially opened
Weber Piano Care in 2002.
Technical Training
• In 1998 I changed the course of my study while working on a piano performance degree and went to work for Chris Finger Pianos. Five years were spent there working with mostly new pianos arriving from Europe. Attention to every detail was the norm and all new pianos were re-regulated, adjusted & custom voiced to enhance their complete musical potential
(a 2-3 day process.)
• I was responsible for preparing, maintaining, selling and delivering a large showroom of the world’s best pianos. I am intimately acquainted with all aspects of a piano’s intricate mechanics and tone production – thanks to a diligent search for perfection with the highest quality pianos made today – Bosendorfer, Steingraeber & Sons, Grotrian, Sauter, Schimmel, Feurich…
• I learned my tuning skills from Colorado’s only Certified Tuning Examiner
• I further increased my knowledge of pianos in interacting with the owners and workers while visiting 3 piano factories in 3 different countries.
• My understanding of the underlying philosophy pushing modern and traditional piano design has been greatly increased through dozens of one-on-one casual dinner conversations with the owners of leading manufacturers: Steingraeber, Sauter, Pleyel, Kemble, Charles Walter…
Piano Performance
Playing & studying the piano for 43 years
19 years under teachers from :
• Sorbonne
• Eastman • Peabody
→ Began piano lessons at age 4
→ Began teaching at age 16
→ Began accompanying college choirs at age 17
→ Began College music degree in 1992
→ Ended University piano performance studies in 1998
→ Completed BS in Religious Studies
→ Began teaching again in 2008
→ Masters of Apologetics candidate 2011
Technical Specialization
• Piano voicing: the study and art of altering the shape and density of piano hammers to create the largest possible acceptable tonal pallet for each piano. This involves hammer reshaping, traveling, aligning and squaring to strings. String spacing and leveling – string seating on bridges and critical evaluation of individual hammer tone differences. This can only be learned by years of hands-on instruction and guidance – something I was blessed to enjoy while working on German pianos!
• Action regulation: working with the 10,000+ moving parts in a piano to precisely align them, adjust levels of friction and systematically optimize their level of function. As each piano allows, I work to enable all moving parts to function in the most precise fashion, in harmony with each other.
• Piano repairs: typical repairs include replacing strings, repairing broken hammers & dampers. Larger rebuilding includes new strings & hammers.
• Piano evaluations: I will take an in-depth look at your piano’s structure, case and mechanics to determine its current condition, maintenance or rebuilding needs, and assess for warranty or insurance claims.
Sampling of Work
• Concert work for Van Cliburn winners
• Concert work for George Winston, Twila Paris,
Steve Green…
• Prepared pianos for Boulder Bach Festival
• Prepared pianos for MTNA & CSMTA
• Prepared pianos for Rocky Mountain Ragtime Festival
• Maintained two showroom of 100+ pianos
• Regular piano maintenance for churches, studios, music
centers, event facilities…
• Resident tuner for the Loveland Rialto
• Resident tuner at YMCA of the Rockies
• Tuner & Rebuilder for CSU Lory Student Center pianos
• 21 years preparing pianos for Rocky Ridge Music Center
• Over 26,000 tunings and pitch raises completed!
Boulder International Competition 2018
Head Tech: University of Wyoming 2015